Monday, 30 July 2012

Race-goers at this year’s Goodwood Revival (14-16 September) are in for a special treat on the evening of Friday 14 September, as Goodwood marks the 60th anniversary of the first Nine Hour race at the legendary motor circuit in 1952.

On Friday 14th, this year’s Freddie March Memorial Trophy – supported by Credit Suisse – will be a 90-minute, two-driver race into dusk, for cars of a type that originally contested this famous endurance race.

Beginning at approximately 6:15pm on Friday 14 September, the Freddie March Memorial Trophy will continue into the twilight (with sunset due around 7:15 pm), with the cars running with their headlights ablaze until around 7:45pm.

Wednesday, 25 July 2012

The most diverse range of classic cars spanning sixty years of motoring heritage have entered the competition to be crowned the UK’s Classic Car of the Year 2012 – but there’s still time to get your pride and joy in the race as the deadline for entries is 3rd August 2012. The winner will receive a fantastic first prize valued at over £3,500 with over £700 worth of runners up prizes up for grabs.

The nationwide competition, organised by Classic Car Weekly, Classic Cars and Practical Classics magazines in association with Lancaster Insurance, is open to any car made before 1990. It’s not about how much money has been spent or how many miles the car has done, it’s the story behind the car that could make it a winner.

Entrants range from the old school elegance of a 1933 Standard Swallow two-door coupe to the more modern power of a 1987 Ford RS500 Sierra Cosworth, so every motoring taste is covered. Some of the cars have been passed from generation to generation such as the 1955 Daimler Conquest Century Saloon, while others were purchased because of their history like the 1976 Alfa Romeo Guilia Nuova Super.

There are cars that have consumed their owner’s time and money as they have been taken apart and lovingly restored back to their former glory like the 1982 Morris Ital. Others like the 1958 Triumph TR3a have travelled the world, fundraising for worthwhile charities in remembrance for absent friends.

An expert judging panel will evaluate the entrants on their individual merits as well as awarding extra points for going to extraordinary lengths to rebuild a car, its fascinating history and incredible journeys undertaken. They will also be looking for cars that are part of the family, those used everyday and those that have been obtained after a lengthy search or quest.

From this information and imagery provided, the panel will then shortlist 20 cars from each category and invite the public to vote for their favourite. It will be the public who decide the winner and the runners up of each category. The winning cars will then go on display at the Classic Motor Show at Birmingham’s NEC from 16th to 18th November where the overall winner with the most votes will be revealed and the grand prize awarded.

Classic car owners can enter via the competition website www.ccoty.co.uk or by sending details of the car, a brief history, full contact details and up to three images to Classic Car of the Year, Media House, Lynchwood, Peterborough, PE2 6EA.

Monday, 16 July 2012

As well as a crowded programme of 24 action-packed races showcasing the full spectrum of motor sport history, this weekend’s Silverstone Classic powered by the AA (20-22 July) also hosts some very special parades, all staged on the renowned Silverstone Grand Prix circuit.

With so many enthusiastic motor clubs choosing the Silverstone Classic to honour important milestones in their respective marques’ histories, these parades have become an important part of the world’s biggest motor racing festival and are hugely popular with both owners and spectators.

Last year no fewer than 767 E-type Jaguars took to the famous F1 track to celebrate the iconic British sportscar’s 50th birthday and thus establish a new Guinness World Record. This year a host of other legendary brands will be lining up on the hallowed Silverstone asphalt.

Heading the pack will be a world record gathering of Ferrari F40s. No fewer than 70 examples of the superlative supercar that many believe to be Ferrari’s finest creation will be lapping Silverstone to mark the Italian pin-up model’s 25th anniversary.

In total more than 450 rare and exotic machines will be joining the F40s in Sunday’s dedicated Car Club Parade with many other crowd favourites also celebrating important anniversaries. Notable among these will be a host of glorious Lamborghinis – including Miuras, Espadas and Countachs – to honour 25 years of the Lamborghini Club UK plus 50th birthday processions for much-loved MGB, Lotus Elan and Triumph Spitfire sportscars from the Sixties.

Adding further colour to Sunday’s spectacular show, around 175 classic cars that will have travelled to Silverstone from a variety of start points across the country as part of the AA Grand Tour will lap the track as the grand finale to their various journeys.

Before that Saturday’s busy on-track schedule includes a lunchtime parade featuring hundreds of BMW Z1, Z3, Z4 and Z8 models as part of the UK’s first Z-fest. Then, in the early evening, it will be the turn of more than 130 AC Cobras – another illustrious sportscar turning 50 this year – to take to the Tarmac along with members of the Silverstone Classic Racing Club.

“These stunning parades have become an integral part of the Silverstone Classic and it’s going to be great to see so many fine classics from different eras strutting their stuff on the full Grand Prix circuit,” said Silverstone Classic event director Nick Wigley. “Last year’s amazing collection of E-types raised the bar somewhat but for many the prospect of seeing 70 stunning Ferrari F40s is going to be every bit as spectacular – and that’s just one of the many highlights.”

Friday, 6 July 2012

This month's winner of the Essential Buyer's Guide of her choice is Michel Verheyen from Wesepe, Holland. Michel sent us this picture of her 1977 Jaguar XJ
12 Coupe Broadspeed replica. Please keep your entries coming in to prize@veloce.co.uk, and you never know, it could be YOU in this space next month!

My name is Michel Verheyen and this is my 1977 Jaguar XJ 12 Coupé Broadspeed replica. I started the restoration and modification about seven years ago, and as you can see it's almost finished. Of the original there are only four cars made that raced in the 1976 and 1977 European Touring Car Championship. They were actually a lot faster than the BMW CSL at the time, but a lot less reliable, so after the 1977 season British Leyland pulled the plug on the racing career of these magnificent cars. Seven years ago I was reading a magazine that had an article in it about one of the original cars and that's what started it off for me. My car started off as a 6-cylinder 1977 XJ Coupé, but now has a V12 with manual gearbox, full welded rollcage, and racing fuel tank with working double fuel fillers through the boot lid. Even the seats have the same fabric on them as the original cars. A lot of the special parts I had to make myself, because the four original cars were made by a private race team (Broadspeed Engineering) so the parts I needed are nowhere to be found. The biggest problem with these cars is that not a lot of people know about them, or have information, so even after seven years I still am finding out things that were previously unknown to me.
The build of the car has been a long one, but trying to get all the details as original as possible was, and is, very rewarding. In the process I have met a lot of people I wouldn't have met if I wasn't doing this project. If anyone would like to know more about the car, have a look on http://broadspeedcoupe.tripod.com.

STOP! Don’t buy a classic Mini without buying this book first!
Having this book in your pocket is just like having a real marque expert by your side. Benefit from the author’s years of experience, learn how to spot a bad Mini quickly and how to assess a promising one like a true professional. Get the right car at the right price!More info.

Do you have an unusual car/motorcycle with a story to tell?
We want to see it!
Send photos & description to prize@veloce.co.uk
We will pick one a month, and any we feature will win an Essential Buyer's Guide (worth £9.99 / $19.95) of your choice.
Click below to browse the whole series.

Thursday, 5 July 2012

Cars can be expensive things, and deserve to be cared for properly. A clean and well-tended car will look better, be more pleasurable to drive, and have a superior resale value. This book is a step-by-step guide to the various elements of car care, from washing, waxing and polishing to engine cleaning and leather maintenance. Featuring illustrations and product recommendations, this is a must-buy for all car lovers. More info.

The story of an independent trek in a restored 50-year-old Mini – all the way to the Great Pyramid and back. Inspirational to others, the book includes practical advice on the preparation required for such marathon drives, along with photos of car prep and the run itself.

Tuesday, 3 July 2012

Here are some photos from Goodwood Festival of Speed last weekend. Highlights included the stunning Gerry Judah Lotus sculpture, Her Majesty The Queen's Diamond Jubilee collection, Chris Evans magnificent seven Ferrari's, the forest rally stage and the'Young Guns - born to win' theme, celebrating drivers who made a huge impact on motorsport from an early age.

Entries for the third annual RAC Future Car Challenge, which takes place on Saturday 3 November, are now being invited and for this year there are even more opportunities for manufacturers to get involved with the Challenge and events linked to it, such as the Regent Street Motor Show. The event, which is owned by the Royal Automobile Club, and sponsored by RAC Motoring Services, was first introduced in 2010 to showcase low energy use vehicles. It features competitors driving electric, hybrid, hydrogen and low-emission conventional petrol and diesel cars on a 63-mile route from Brighton to London. Now recognized as the world's leading low-energy driving challenge, the event is unique in being free to the public to spectate and a real-world test of current and future vehicle technology.

The RAC Future Car Challenge is increasingly important as awareness of low energy use and low emission vehicles begins to grow rapidly. Overall, UK new car sales rose by 7.9 per cent in May 2012 compared to the same month last year – with significant growth of 31.8 per cent of sales of hybrid petrol-electric, electric-only and range-extended cars. A spokesman for the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said: "Every car manufacturer is going to have a hybrid model on its lists by the end of this year, even Ferrari."

Each year an increasing number of entries have come from motor manufacturers (large and small), individuals and research institutes. As well as vehicles currently in production, there have been many taking part that will not be on sale for three or four years – truly future cars.

The overall winner of 2011 was the T.27 built and entered by Gordon Murray Design. Murray was thrilled, speaking after the event he said: “This is the first time we've showcased the T.27 on the UK roads. This is the only event in the world that demonstrates real cars, in real conditions and where energy used is measured independently and the information made available to the public. It’s a fantastic showcase for technology and the Royal Automobile Club should be proud of the event."

As David Bizley, RAC Technical Director, says “This has become a leading event in the UK motoring calendar and arguable one of the most significant events in Europe for showcasing low-carbon technology and an inspiration for the next generation of engineers. “We are delighted to once again be sponsors of the Future Car Challenge. We see the event as playing a vital role in helping motorists understand the new technology that is becoming available and help them save money and benefit the environment.”

Ben Cussons, Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club Motoring Committee, says: "In just a couple of years the RAC Future Car Challenge has emerged as the most important annual motoring event for showcasing the vehicles people will be driving in years to come. The support from major motor manufacturers worldwide has been tremendous and many of them have already expressed their intention to enter the 2012 Challenge."

This year, in response to the increasing level of interest in the event, there has been a major increase in the number of awards categories. There is now a very wide range of categories, totalling 26 – 13 for Production Vehicles and 13 for Prototype Vehicles. The awards for Production Vehicles and for Prototype Vehicles include Most Energy Efficient vehicles by size and type (saloon, sports car, light commercial vehicle etc.) and best electric, extended range, hybrid, hydrogen and internal combustion engine vehicles.

In increasing the number of award categories, the organisers have ensured that performance comparisons with the 2011 event can still be made easily. Publication of the energy used by each vehicle taking part (in accordance with strict measurement protocols) is one of the unique features of the RAC Future Car Challenge – members of the public can see exactly how energy efficient the cars are under real-world driving conditions because of the easily interpreted measurement technology used. Entries forms are available to download from the dedicated event website, together with the regulations and full details of the vehicle categories: www.futurecarchallenge.com

In another significant innovation for this year's running of the event, a revised 63 mile route has been selected with the finish line moved to Regent Street – where the Regent Street Motor Show will be held. This free motor show provides all day displays of future technology and even the chance to drive an electric car in Mayfair. The show is a unique platform for manufacturers to display and demonstrate their new and future 'green' vehicles and developments to members of the public.

Electric car charging experts British Gas return this year as the official energy and electric vehicle charging partner, helping those taking part in the Future Car Challenge to charge their cars easily, quickly and safely.

The RAC Future Car Challenge is one of three flagship events owned by the Royal Automobile Club taking place on the weekend of 3 and 4 November 2012. The other two are the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, the world's longest running motoring event, and the Regent Street Motor Show. Together they make for the largest free-to-spectate annual motoring spectacular in the UK, if not the world.